Boo.

Happy Halloween.

Who you gonna call.

Watching FNC the other day, found me getting ahold of another great site that debunks the Liberal news media, or what we lovingly refer as the MSM. It's called Newsbusters.org... and you can find it right here.

What goes thwack thwack.

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. It got up to about 72 degrees by our little outside thermometer. I can't believe in England, 72 degrees on the 27th of October! Truly amazing.

Today, mmm, today is not turning out like yesterday. Just the opposite. It's wet outside. It's grey outside. It's a hell of a lot more chilly than yesterday outside.

You DO know why, don't you?

Uh, huh. It's Friday and Krip has the afternoon off.

Krip is playing a round of golf.

Explosions and kidnappings

Found this over at The American Spectator. While listening to our oh so smug news presenters last night talking about the bombings, and how our military was SUPPOSED to be protecting these so-called journalists, this little news item has come to light, though I doubt we'll see it in the MSM anytime soon.

"A series of massive explosions hit Baghdad at sunset this evening. The explosions are now reported to have been two car bombs and, for good measure, a cement truck filled with explosives! They were detonated right in front of the Palestine Hotel where many in the media are housed. The AP and others were notified ahead of time so that they could focus their cameras on the event and record it for history.

Given the front row seats the media occupied for this latest terrorist extravaganza, the TV footage was on the air instantaneously. Anyone who witnessed the explosions seen on TV will have to admit the terrorists did put on quite a show."

Are you aware that these Islamists are also kidnapping civilian contractors and holding them for ransom? It's certainly something you will not read or hear from the MSM ~ unless it was one of them of course.

Here's a sample from same article:

"...a woman in her mid-40s who has her own company. She was kidnapped in front of her house by a gang of between 10 to 12 terrorists. They first beat up her husband and young son who were standing with her, then fled in a get-away car that was in front of the house next door.

The kidnappers held her for 13 days before releasing her for a ransom I have heard of $200,000. Before dumping her out of a moving car, the "insurgents" (as the MSM refer to terrorists) broke most of her ribs with a baseball bat. Since that didn't seem to satisfy them, they also broke many of the bones in her face with the same bat."

And the MSM wonder why we are skeptical at their reporting.

Doesn't have enough on his plate.

Wilma's Floods Terrify Key West Holdouts
Wilma Kills 6 in Fla.; 6M Without Power
Wilma breaches Havana's defences
Stranded tourists' nerves fray in storm-hit Cancun
Alert As Gales Sweep UK

Oh, go ahead. Blame President George W. Bush. You know you want to. This is all his fault.

Right?

They have great chocolate.

We had a pretty good day visiting Brussels. Krip will tell you that Belgium is probably the most boring country in the world and Brussels being it's capital, therefore must be the most boring city in the world. I wouldn't go that far; however, it's not that exciting of a city either. That's not to say we didn't have a good time.

We did a hell of a lot of walking up and down steps, and took the subway to different parts of the city. One thing we did notice and we didn't know why was that no one seemed to pay to get on the subway (except for tourists), so like the saying goes "when in Rome" or in Brussels as the case may be, we didn't pay after our first trip on the subway either.

We did have a wonderful lunch and a bottle of excellent wine to go with it. We had been stopped earlier by a maitre de, who had asked if we were English, and while asking, invited us to eat at his restaurant. We told him that we weren't ready to eat, but we would come back. Don't think he thought we meant it. However, much to his delight, we did return, and got a complimentary drink out of it.

Went to a really nice museum, I would write about it, but I can't tell you what it was about, except to say we saw some paintings, silver, porcelain, and statues...there was nothing in English to tell us what it was.

We went to see the famous Mannekin Pis. I don't know why, but it didn't even occur to me that this little tyke was only 24" inches tall. He wasn't naked as he is normally. I think some guild was celebrating something or another and dressed him for the occasion. At any rate, while we were photographing the little "pisser," a group dressed just like he was came around the corner, each taking a glass of beer, and proceeded to sing songs. Very comical and very weird.

All in all, we had a nice day. It was a very long-ass day. We've done Brussels. I prefer London anyday of the week. But it was all right.

Did I mention that Krip accidently deleted all the pics we took of the trip yesterday while downloading them? Said it didn't matter cause nothing really stood out to tell you what city you were in except for the Little Wee Boy on the corner of one of the streets around the The Grand Place.

Day trippin'

Tomorrow Krip and I are going on a day trip to Brussels. I am so excited. For one thing, neither of us have ever been to Brussels, so it makes it even doubly exciting to go somewhere (for the first time) together that neither one of us have been. Gee, kinda like being a virgin all over again. Well, not exactly, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, we are going by train ~ the Eurostar. The weather is suppose to be rather on the grey side, but that's not going to dampen our spirts. So, I am pretty excited to say the least.

Very important and enlightened read

Addendum: An excellent blog to read if you want to follow the proceedings of this trial, which you probably will not get from the MSM is Iraq the Model.

Saddam Hussein is being charged with the massacre of Al-Dujaile. Iraq the Model has an excellent first-word account of what happened in that village the day of massacre, as well as what happened especially after the massacre, up until the present. It's well-worth the read.

The circus that might turn into a trial

The trial of the century, I don't count Michael Jackson's trial because anyone with half a brain already knew what the outcome was going to be, is starting today. It will be interesting to see how much of it is followed by the MSM. Probably as much coverage of the 16 million people who voted in Iraq was covered. Anyway, I will be watching FNC for my coverage.

So far, it's starting to look like a political circus, with Saddam and his flunkies trying everything in their power to try to rile up the Sunni's by stating that the Americans, the Brits, and everyone else that is associated with going up against Saddam and his ilk are the illegal ones and he is the innocent one.

His defense attorney believes that Saddam has more than a 50-50 chance of getting back in power. Wonder how the naysayers of this war would feel if this was to happen. If all their wishing and hoping was to come true that the Americans, the Brits, and the other members of the coalition were the criminals and Saddam an innocent leader of his people.

Perhaps all those Cindy Sheehans, the Michael Moores, and those in governments of various countries will want to move to Iraq and happily open up their homes and hearts to the new leadership of Saddam Hussein.

They might want to check with the Kurds first, with the Shiites first, with Iran first, and with the people of Kuwait first.

Sing a song of sixpence

Another reason to wonder how civilization managed to survive for thousands of years, or at least in this case, for the past 500 years without Nanny Government overseeing individuals' health and safety through it's many laws.

A supermarket thought it would be a good idea to have a sixpence inserted in their store-bought (dare I say it) Christmas pudding, only to have that idea nixed because they may "constitute a choking hazard".

"We can't supply the coin already mixed into the pudding," a spokesman said. "Instead we have provided a collector's card with the coin attached that you can place under a plate or table mat for one lucky friend or family member to find."

Well, there you go, another tradition biting the dust.

I'm still waiting for Nanny Government to change the name of Christmas pudding to Winter Equinox pudding, or Winter Holiday pudding or Hug a Evergreen Tree pudding, or some such.

A little pork cracklin'

Isn't this interesting from the Washington Times an editorial called Pork, Pelicans and Louisiana.

The Pork: Louisiana's congressional delegation presenting Washington with a request for $250 billion in federal reconstruction funds for Louisiana alone. That's more than $50,000 per person in the state. And since the entire country will foot the bill, it will cost $1,900 per American household.

The Pelican: The bill would create a "Pelican Commission" to oversee the Army Corps's work. But if history is our guide, we know that the opportunity for fraud and waste will be unprecedented. New Orleans is currently the third most-indicted city government in the entire country.

The Lousianans: Finally, the bill's author, Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat, said, "Louisiana will be rebuilt by Louisianans. New Orleans will be rebuilt by New Orleans." However Mrs. Landrieu certainly does not expect Louisiana to pay the bulk of the cost. She wants all the power and none of the burden. The bill waves the normal cost-sharing requirements and shift the entire cost to the federal government. In other words, Mrs. Landrieu is expecting federal taxpayers to foot 100 percent of the bill.

On a side note. This bill is 440 pages long. In the bill the lawmakers (choking on that word, BTW) are stuffing the pork roast with examples like, monies for alligator and dairy farmers, laboratory and research facilities, diverse military construction projects, etc.

BREAKING NEWS **** BREAKING NEWS

On our local six o'clock news, they had a bit about a local Pantomime (Panto) that was going to be acted out by children. It is supposed to be called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, when they got their printed script back, the Director found out she was no longer allowed to call her local Panto, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, because it was not politically correct to use the word "Dwarf(s)." The title of the Panto will have to be either Snow White and the Seven Gnomes, or Snow White and the Seven Guardians of the Forest.

One of the seven Guardians of the Forest-aka-Gnomes can no longer be called Bashful. He will henceforth be called Basher, as in Basher the Boxer Guardian of the Forest-aka-Gnome.

Trust me folks, I am not making this up. No way, no how.

KHARMA, Iraq - Cpl. Ross Casey, from Austin, Texas, with 6th Civil Affairs Group, tries speaking to local children using an Arabic dictionary.
Official Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Hutchison, 2d Marine Division Combat Camera


An Iraqi child holds a Meal Ready-to-Eat given to him by members of the U.S. Army in Mosul, Iraq, Oct. 10, 2005.
U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. James L. Harper Jr.


Iraqi school children give the "thumbs-up" sign to U.S. Marines Corps members from the 6th Civil Affairs Group, 2nd Marine Division in Kharma, Iraq, Oct 2, 2005. Official Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Hutchison

Some of the most important pieces of paper in history

Since this is Friday, I thought I would lighten up a bit. When you are sitting on the throne in your loo, have you ever even thought of how important those little bits of squares are that you are holding in your hand and about to use? Have you ever wondered who or when or where they were invented? Have you ever even thought of what it must have been like living before...toilet paper?

No? Well, me neither. But I'm going to tell you anyway.

When and where was toilet paper first invented?
*China…AD 1391 - The Bureau of Imperial Supplies began producing 720,000 sheets of toilet paper a year, each sheet measuring two feet by three feet. For use by the Emperors.

When was the first roll of toilet paper made and by whom?
*USA…AD 1890 - The Scott Paper Company is the first company to manufacture tissue on a roll, specifically for the use of toilet paper.

What did people use before toilet paper was invented?
*Newsprint, paper catalogue pages - in early US
*Hayballs, Scraper/gompf stick kept in container by the privy - in the Middle Ages
*Discarded sheep's wool - in the Viking Age, England
*Frayed end of an old anchor cable was used by sailing crews - from Spain and Portugal
*Straw, hay, grass, gompf stick - Medieval Europe
*Corn cobs, Sears Roebuck catalog, mussel shell, newspaper, leaves, sand- United States
*Water and your left hand - India and throughout the Middle East
*Pages from a book - British Lords
*Coconut shells - in early Hawaii
*Lace was used by - French Royalty
*A sponge soaked in salt water, on the end of a stick - Public restrooms in Ancient Rome
*Wool and Rosewater -The Wealthy in Ancient Rome
*Lace and hemp - French Royalty
*Hemp and wool - were used by the elite citizens of the world
*Defecating in the river was very common - internationally
*Bidet - France
*Snow and Tundra Moss were used - by early Eskimos

I know, alotta shit, right? Well, at least now you know where, when, and whom you can thank for letting you wipe it off with.

What's next...1 ply or 2?

Cut and Run?

This is a commentary that Neil Cavuto gave yesterday on his show (on FNC). It is not long, and worth the read. I find it unnerving and right on target:

At a book signing in Detroit this morning, I ran into a wonderful family whose son is serving right now in Afghanistan.

I asked them how he was doing.

"Very well," they said. "He's always upbeat."

When I inquired about the media coverage of the war there and in Iraq, — and whether he was catching any of it, — they offered this revealing comment:

"He just can't believe it," his dad said. "There's a lot of good they're just not reporting," his dad quoted his son as saying.

I thought of that conversation after reading this Al Qaeda (search) bigwig letter to a top deputy.

"Things may develop faster than we imagine," Aymen al-Zawahiri (search) writes.

He explains that Americans are getting fed up with the negative news out of Iraq and goes onto note that, "the aftermath of the collapse of American power in Vietnam, and how they ran and left their agents, is noteworthy."

He talks of how the U.S. has a habit of cutting and running and implies we'll likely be cutting and running soon again.

The letter clearly lays out al-Zawahiri's long-term goal: Get the Americans out, bring an Islamic authority in and then take the war to Iraq's secular neighbors, before the ultimate clash with Israel.

He seems eerily patient,— perhaps because he senses we are not.

He seems resolute. We seem divided.

It's not our troops he seems to doubt. It's the American people.

They are divided. They are angry. And al-Zawahiri is hopeful.

The negativism is feeding on itself and us. And al-Zawahiri is loving it.

No wonder that mom and dad reminded me that the biggest threat to their son isn't some other country on many days, the threat is this country.

Unfortunately, the last line of Cavuto's commentary can be attributed, not to just the United States, but others as well. I don't understand why people don't see this man, al-Zawahiri a threat. Is it arrogance on their part? Or is it naivety , believing that if we all just sit around a huge campfire and sing koom-by-yah in various harmonies that peace and love shall rain throughout the land.

Accept Australian values or get out

Hats off for the Aussies!!!

I got this outstanding piece over from Mike's America. (thanks Mike) What a contrast between Mark Steyn's column about how the United Kingdom is handling British Muslims and how Australia is handling the influx of Islam. The Aussies deserve a medal for standing up for what they believe in and the fact that they are actually proud of their country and her people:

EDUCATION Minister Brendan Nelson has bluntly told Islamists who do not want to accept and teach Australian values that they should "clear off".

"We don't care where people come from; we don't mind what religion they've got or what their particular view of the world is. But if you want to be in Australia, if you want to raise your children in Australia, we fully expect those children to be taught and to accept Australian values and beliefs," he said.

"We want them to understand our history and our culture, the extent to which we believe in mateship and giving another person a hand up and a fair go. And basically, if people don't want to be Australians and they don't want to live by Australian values and understand them, well basically they can clear off."

Gosh, a country with a spine. What a concept.

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones...Schroeder

Outgoing German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has aimed a broadside at US President George W. Bush, saying Hurricane Katrina showed what happened when a state neglected its duty.

Schroeder made his comments in a speech to a trade union in Hanover on Wednesday in which he warned of the dangers of eroding the welfare functions of the state.

"I can think of a recent disaster that shows what happens when a country neglects its duties of state towards its people," said Schroeder, who will soon cede his post to conservative rival Angela Merkel.

"My post as chancellor, which I still hold, does not allow me to name that country but you all know that I am talking about America," Schroeder said to laughter and applause.

Obviously, while Schroeder was so busy fine-tuning his socialists values, he never bothered to learn anything about the United States and their government. If he had, he would have learned that our States have their own governor and mayor(s) who are responsible for their citizens, especially in the case of natural disasters.

Perhaps it would have been better if Schroeder not only minded his own business, but stayed out of the United States' business. If he had, perhaps he wouldn't now be one of the four million people in Germany that has lost his job.

Raise your hand if you love peanut butter.

Now I love peanut butter. Smooth, crunchy; doesn't matter. Anyway it's used, or right out of the jar ~~ I. Do. Love. Peanut.Butter.

Since living here in England, I make sure that I have an American brand of peanut butter. Usually it's Skippys. I mean, there are two items that have to be American brands for me; mayonnaise and peanut butter ~ no argument. Just the way it is.

Anyway, so the first time I offered to make Krip a peanut butter sandwich, I didn't think anything of it when I asked him if he wanted jam on it too. This is how our conversation went:

"You want a peanut butter sandwich?"
"Oh yeah, please."
"Want some jam on it?"
"God no, that sounds disgusting!"
"You mean, you've never had peanut butter and jam sandwiches as a kid?"
"Blahhh."
"How about a peanut butter and banana sandwich?"
"No!"
"Peanut butter and bacon sandwich?"
"No!"
"Peanut butter on toast with a bit of salt?"
"No!"
"How about peanut butter on your pancakes with syrup?"
"I'm losing my appetite...please just make me a damn peanut butter sarnie...please."
"I'm making it. I'm almost done. How about peanut butter and chocolate?"
"You have to be kidding."
"I can't believe that you've never had a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup."
"A what?"
" Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. It has chocolate on the outside and like peanut butter on the inside."
"Don't think so."
"It's so good."
"Don't think so. Aren't you done with my peanut butter sarnie?"
"It's coming right now."
"So what are you having?"
"Cinnamon toast."
"Wha'?"

Britons never will be slaves. Yeah. Right.

Oh. My. Goodness. If England was a boxer, Mark Steyn would have plummeted him almost to death with this column.

Just a teaser to get you to go read it:

"Thus, Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, already feels Ms Owers's ban is insufficient. The cross of St George, he explains, is offensive to Muslims because it was carried by English crusaders in the 11th century."

"So Mr Doyle wants England to find a new flag which "is not associated with our bloody past and one we can all identify with". How about we simply swap with the Yanks? Give Crusader Bush the cross of St George and England can have the Stars and Stripes? The stars would be the 50 shards of a pork scratching crushed underfoot by a Dudley council official, with 13 horizontal yellow streaks representing the prostrate backbones of the nation."

As you can see, part of Steyn's column is devoted to Doyle's concern over something that happened in the 11th Century. That's ten centuries ago.

Ten. Centuries. Ago. That's one thousand years ago. One. THOUSAND. Years. Ago.

I cannot understand for the life of me what has happened to this country, to all of Great Britain. When did you become so limp wristed? Why aren't you telling these few wankers to just shut up? I realize that you are not an 'in your face' type of society, and I respect that, but having to change your flag, because of what happened centuries ago is ludicrous.

Perhaps you need reminding of what a great country you used to be. So here are the lyrics of your song, Rule Britannia, by Thomas Augustine Arne, in 1740, a wonderful song that reflects what your country is supposed to be like, not quite like the reflection that is starting to appear:

RULE BRITANNIA
When Britain first at Heav'n's command
Arose from out the azure main;
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain;
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never will be slaves.

The nations not so blest as thee,
Shall in their turns to tyrants fall;
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never will be slaves.

Still mor majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful from each foreign stroke;
As the loud blast, loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never will be slaves.

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame,
All their attempts to bend thee down
Will but arouse, arouse thy generous flame;
But work their woe, and thy renown.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never will be slaves.

The Muses, still with freedom found,
Shall to thy happy coast repair;
Blest Isle! With matchless beauty crowned,
And manly hearts to juide the fair.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never will be slaves.

The United Kingdom better get a grip on yourselves soon. Or your country as you know it, will disappear from view forever.

Does it really matter.

Next Monday is Columbus Day, a holiday in the States. Well, at least for my fellow Americans it is. Here in the U.K., we have Bank Holidays. That's where there are so many Mondays allocated for days off. I know it's rather foolish of me, but somehow just having a "Bank Holiday" doesn't mean as much as celebrating something.

Now, before I get all the PC crowd throwing their venom and stinking up my blog, I am not going to get into what Columbus Day is all about. The day isn't here yet, heh.

And I also realize that for those like Krip; who really cares why their getting off from work for a day! It's the fact that their getting off. Krip would say, 'bank, shmank, it's a day off, hooray!!' I can thoroughly appreciate that as well.

Call me a fool, a sentimental fool, or a romantic sentimental fool. I think it's just a little bit more special knowing exactly what the occasion may be for that day off from school and/or work.

Just a walk in the park.

You know? Sometimes the simplest things you do in life can bring you immense pleasure. Take for example today. Since it's been incredibly mild today, especially for October, we decided to walk to the library ~ you know, to take back some books and fill up our arms with new and exciting ones. So here we were walking through a park near us, remarkably free of people. Just us, some leaves falling from the trees, dew still on the ground, and freshly mowed grass all around us ~ peaceful.

After returning our books and picking out some new ones, we decided to head home by a different route. This one took us past a bakery that was still open ~ lucky us! Munching on some delicious pastries, we wandered back into the park from another direction. Passing through the gates, we came upon a huge old chestnut tree. It's chestnuts were dropping down from the heavens on top of us. So like two little kids, we opened the little green barbed pods that protected the chestnuts from squirrels or from people like us, and proceeded to gather them up to roast later.

Laughing we kept comparing who had the largest chestnut, I suppose looking like two complete idiots; however, we didn't care. Finally, we decided we had enough, we started to compose ourselves and looked around. An elderly couple with their sweet companion of a dog by their sides were looking and smiling at us. I would like to think that perhaps they were remembering gathering these lovely chestnuts in their day, roasting them on an open fire; knowing that people just don't do that anymore. Or perhaps, they were thinking we were just another example of the crazy generation that came after them...as in what is this world coming too.

At any rate, we smiled back and waved. And they did the same. Neither pair really knowing what the other was thinking.

Spooky.

Okay, just a few minutes ago, I had a very weird thing happen to me. Let me explain. I do the linens on Thursday. Linens are the towels from the bath and kitchen, and the sheets off of our bed, right? Right. So I have just finished doing the towels. There are no pockets in towels, right? Right. So nothing can fall out of them; e.g. coins. Right? Right.

Earlier today, I was putting a £2 (pound) coin in our piggy bank (I collect one pound and two pound coins) and I noticed I needed a one pound coin to round off the amount; e.g. £189 to £190. Got it? Okay. So after tallying up the amount I had in the piggy bank, I muttered to myself, "Damn, I wish I had just one extra pound to even up the amount." Then put it out of my mind, after deciding to ask Krip if he had one when he got home from work.

Just now I got out our towels from the washing machine and started putting them in our airing cupboard to dry, and what fell out of one of the large bath towels and landed on the floor after hitting me on the foot? A one pound coin.

Weird.

And before you suggest it, I already checked the washing machine on Tuesday to see if anything was left behind, besides nothing with pockets was washed on Tuesday; e.g. trousers, shorts, shirts with pockets ~ that kind of thing.

Weird.

Jeepers, creepers.

Last night I had a dream that made me wake up in a panic. I cannot for the life of me remember the dream, but I have to assume that someone was about to do bodily harm to me or to someone I love; that much I do remember. I haven't had dreams like this or, I suppose you could call them, nightmares in a very long time, in fact I can't even remember the last time I did, but what an unsettling experience it was for me!

After almost jumping out of bed just to escape it, I had a very difficult time getting back to sleep.
After pondering whether I should read a little from the novel on my nightstand, I decided that it was best just to invision winning the Lotto instead.

Afterall, the book I'm reading is Three Complete Novels of Dean R. Koontz: The Servants of Twilight; Darkfall; and Phantoms.

For whom the bell tolls.

This morning I heard one of the funniest jokes in a long time. When I got up this morning, I turned on FNC's On the Record (we get it at 8 am here in the U.K.), and proceeded to make me a cup of coffee.

Suddenly from the other room, I hear that whiney, pouty voice of Bill Clinton. No wait! That's not the joke.

Here's the punchline. Clinton is talking about him, what has been done wrong with this Presidency, yada yada yada, and then he said...

...are you ready for this?

"...we need to have accountability..."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! We. Need. To. Have. Accountability.

A statement like that coming out of that man's mouth. Priceless.

What a wanker.

This guy obviously never listened to his mother.

You're egging me on.

With many many thanks, I think, I found this little gem over on Polly. It's an Internet Anagram and will decipher your blog name.
Hmmm, this is what the first one was from my list: A EGG HIGH HULKS NOLO TROTS
and this was what the last one was: A EGG NIGHT HO RHO SULKS LOT
with a hell of a lot of them in between, which made about as much sense as these two do.

The only thing I got out of this is that I must be a good or perhaps a rotten egg, cause that was the two consistent words throughout all those anagrams.

So, how would you like your eggs?

Some of our finest.

A local Iraqi man speaks to U.S. Army Soldiers from Bravo Company 2-1 Infantry Fort Wainwright, Alaska, during a civil affairs mission giving medical assistance, passing out candy and soccer balls in Reehana, near the city of Rawah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom Sep 30, 2005.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway)


U.S. Army Spc. Sterling Peele cleans his weapon after a mission searching for weapons caches and insurgents in the town of Anah, Iraq, on Sept. 29, 2005. Peele is assigned to Headquarters Company, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
DoD photo by Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway, U.S. Air Force.


U.S. Marines discovered two 155mm artillery shells (foreground) with red detonation wires on the heads near the Long Island bridge in Al Taqaddum, Iraq, on Sept. 30, 2005. U.S. Marines of the 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, Military Police Company are performing mounted and dismounted patrols to prevent insurgents from placing improvised explosive devices.
DoD photo by Lance Cpl. Bobby J. Segovia, U.S. Marine Corps.

At a dead end

My brain has dried up. I have absolutely, positively nothing to write about.

Except for this...

Has anyone else out there in cyberland noticed how early advertising for Christmas is this year? I think I saw signs of it a couple of weeks ago ~ about the middle of September.

Bah humbug!!